The Music Banter Members' Journals Monthly Update Thread

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds

Rather shocked that you'd be interested, BTW.

Why? I like Supertramp.

[Pet_Sounds]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Why? I like Supertramp.

Yeah, but you didn't strike me as a Billy Joel fan.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds

Yeah, but you didn't strike me as a Billy Joel fan.

I'm not, but your reviews would at least get me to listen to him

[Trollheart]

Not that surprisingly, with cases of pudding overdose and many sore heads, not too many of us --- myself included --- have managed to do much work here in Journaltown over the last week. However, a few of you have levered yourselves out of your comfy chairs and dragged yourselves to your PCs or laptops or tablets or pills or whatever-the-hell-you're-using, to throw down a few words, and as this is the last update before the New Year it behooves us to see what it is you've written.

Batty doesn't like Rob Liefeld, but to find out why you'll have to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html, where you'll also see his Christmas Joker episode, and his first look at Liefled with X-Force. Hey, it's all new to me...

Down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html Santa, sorry Briks, is wrapping his Christmas pressies and listening to rock radio, somehow mistaking Geddy Lee for female! Now who has ever done that before??

More of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rly-years.html to check out before year's end. This week he's looking at a classic from BTO.

We don't often (indeed, to this point, ever) hear from the other half of Freebase's musical partnership, but being as it's Christmas an' all (one can only assume) Piotr is here writing some http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...stronauts.html, so definitely worth checking out. Not to be outdone, Freebase is in there today with details of another new song.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...63-2013-a.html hits 1998 with John Zorn, Black Star, Neutral Milk Hotel and The Tiger Lilies among others.

Justin is still sorting out details for next year's twelve-month-long extravaganza of metal, and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-endeavor.html he's asking for your top twenties, so, you know, give him some ideas.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-song-day.html has gone all Christmassy (and it's the best time to do that!) with already as mentioned last week Jesu and this week Machine is keeping the Xmas theme with music from Sufjan Stevens, Run DMC, The Beach Boys and Sir Paul.
Meanwhile, in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...otistical.html he's talking about his new album. Not “Empty House”, for those of us that have been following his journal... and finally
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...l-madness.html is where he's introducing the discography of The Flaming Lips, due to begin in the New Year.

Getting his journal going properly, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...a-yas-out.html and reviews a benefit concert for Bill Graham, a concert promoter in the Bay Area who died.

There's a commemoration of World War One on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html, as Pet_Sounds remembers those who fought and died for world freedom. With music, of course.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ar-1965-a.html also moves on to 1998 with albums from Boards of Canada, Beck, Silver Jews and Refused among his picks.

Last few updates over at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html with some more Weird Christmas songs, the last batch of presents from Under Trollheart's Tree and a review of “Music inspired by the Life and Times of Scrooge”. Er, McDuck, that is. Also squeezing in some memories from my childhood. Finishing up on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html we have two more Christmas TV specials, from American Dad and The Simpsons, and the latest round of the Scroogedown.

In a deservedly high place (though not number one,scanadlously!) we find Dio's seminal classic “Holy Diver” occupying the numer 2 spot in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html --- it's also Unknown Soldier's AOTY. Well, DUH! As for number one? Well that's Eddie and the boys, with “Piece of Mind” --- what else?

Always interesting the ideas people get for journals. In this age of the download, I think we can all confess to downloading albums we think are cool at the time and “always mean to check out” but never do. Zero certainly is guilty of this, he says, and has used it as the theme to begin a new journal which he has called http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ollection.html. The first examples come from A Whisper in the Noise, Daniel Land and the Modern Painters, The Azuza Plane and Suun.
He's also writing in his original journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-sound.html where we find him making a mix of some of his favourite songs of 2014. Some good stuff there!



Another journal I missed quite a bit of while away was one which has been up to now one of the hardest-worked-upon in the section, and which situation has pushed its author in the direction of, as I said last week, “Taking a Trollheart”, ie stepping back from everything for a little while, taking a break so that he can return refreshed and ready to go in 2015.

Trying to maintain two journals while still holding down a job may have been partially responsible for this, I have no idea, but as I said to Ki, it is always a good idea to bend before you break. I felt, just prior to my own enforced holiday from here, that I was enjoying my journal less and less, and it felt more like a job than a hobby or something I took pleasure in, and when that happens it's time to slam on the brakes and take a good long look in the mirror. I did it, and now Ki's doing it, very sensibly.

But before he went he left us a lot of really good articles in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html and in August he was looking at ReinXeed's “1912”, an album he later suggested to me for “Metal Month II”, and which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then there was some Robbie Williams and Opeth, taking us into September with a feature on Lamb of God and Rammstein, then November saw him into more post-rock instrumental music with Swarm of the Sun, also looking at Casualties of Cool and Bring me the Horizon, followed by a review of the game “Borderlands 2” and “Fable”, until he decided to do a whole in-depth review on the man Devin. This began with “Ziltoid the Omniscient”, continued with “Ghost” and then the album that gave the author his name, followed by “Unplugged”, “Addicted” and “Deconstruction”, and ending the month with “Synchestra”.

November opened with my favourite (well, the only DT album I've heard, to be fair) “Epicloud” and then I caught up with him in the Update Thread so you're now, like me, up to date. Wish you all the best on your break Ki and we'll be waiting for your return! Have fun and see you next year!



Two very important years in the genesis of hard rock were chronicled in "Pounding Decibels", as we continue sifting through the wealth of information laid down by Unknown Soldier, a man who must surely be akin to a walking encyclopaedia of rock?

1975 started off with another double-header, from Deep Purple at number ten with “Come taste the band” and “Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow” by ... Rainbow? Yeah, stretching the criterion a little (though it's his to stretch after all) Unknown Soldier planted two albums linked by the famous guitarist together. Fair enough I suppose. Montrose were at number 9 with “Warner Bros presents...” and Sabbath came in at eight with “Sabotage”, leaving the number 7 slot free for Thin Lizzy's “Fighting” and then Nazareth at six with “Hair of the dog”. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this looks to have been the first time US featured Lizzy; every other year they seemed to just miss the cut. Budgie were back at 5 with “Bandolier” and UFO were “Forcing it” into the number four slot, while the top three went to “Welcome to my nightmare” by Alice, (this being his AOTY), Aerosmith's “Toys in the attic” and at the very top in the number one slot, yeah, them again! Zep with “Physical graffiti”.

Angel's self-titled debut was an album you should “Also check this out”, while those that fell by the wayside on US's chopping board for 1975 included Bad Company, Kiss, Rush and Scorpions. The Live Album section had BOC's “On your feet or on your knees”, Kiss “Alive” and Grand Funk's “Caught in the act” while “Hard Heavy and a Classic” came from Armageddon, with their self-titled debut and then US decided to try “Hard, Heavy and Worth a Mention", in which section he placed Uriah Heep's “Return to fantasy” as we rolled, smokin' and screechin' into 1976.

This began with Ian Gillan Band's “Child in time” (a title surely stolen from the classic Deep Purple song) at 10, while Piper had their self-titled debut at 9, with another s/t at eight, from Moxy. Judas Priest's “Sad wings of destiny” was at 7, while BOC's “Agents of fortune” took the number 6 spot. A Double-Header at 5 from Kiss, with “Destroyer” and “Rock and roll over”, while Lizzy finally got some decent recognition with another Double-Header at 4, “Jailbreak” and “Johnny the Fox” sharing the spot. An album called “No rest for the wicked” from an outfit called Truth and Janey took the number three slot, while the seminal “Rainbow Rising” did not quite make it to the top, being pipped at the post by Aerosmith again, with “Rocks”.

The Babys' debut s/t was something you should “Also check this out” and albums to miss the cut included Lucifer's Friend, Stray, Scorpions again and Trapeze, while Heart's “Dreamboat Annie” was one he considered “Hard, Heavy and Worth a Mention”. As were Ocean, with “God's clown”. We then had Motorhead and The Runaways sharing a new slot called “Hard, Heavy and a Tad Aggressive”, and Zep returned in the Live Album section with their classic “The song remains the same”.

Just time then for my

which comes from this guy

whom we don't see enough of around this place. As I mentioned, Zero began a new journal this week, and the idea behind it was so original and yet so obvious (everything's obvious after you've been shown how to do it of course) that I thought it definitely deserved to be shared here. Here's how he introduces the journal and the concept.

Originally Posted by Zer0

One thing that I'm guilty of in the past, not so much now since I started using Spotify, is downloading albums, listening to them and then forgetting about them. Quite a lot of albums fail to impress me on first listen and are banished to the depths of my external hard-drive rather than just deleting them. Other albums I enjoy briefly for a period, then just fall out of favour and are forgotten about while I move onto newer discoveries.

So now I've decided to root through my entire music collection and give some albums another chance and also to revisit some albums I used to enjoy but neglected in recent years. I will be posting my thoughts here.

And so that's it for another year. 2014 becomes 2015 on Wednesday at midnight, so the next update will be the first of the new year. Hope you're all enjoying your Christmas and for those who I don't see around over the next few days, Happy New Year and we'll see ya back here next Sunday.

Toodles!

[Trollheart]

First of all, of course, Happy New Year to everyone, whether you're a reader or an author, or even have just clicked here accidentally and found yourself in unfamiliar territory. Everyone's welcome here. Except that guy. Can't stand him. But as 2014 gives way to 2015 it seems everyone has either resolved to write more updates for their journals this year than last, or else they'd just intended to do that anyway. I know I have major things planned for mine, and others do too. So, if everyone's ready and you've all signed the release forms, let's head on in to what is the first update of the new year.

Before I begin, a small note to bear in mind. You all know that I have not the time to read all of your journal entries, and am skimming through them most of the time (though when I see something that catches my attention I may stop and read it through). I do my best to give a good flavour of what is happening in everyone's journal each week, but I'm sure you all understand that it's hard to catch everything, and given all the other work I have to do it's sometimes a little rushed. So while I will try to mention everything you cover in a specific week I may from time to time miss something out. I would therefore appreciate it if you would accept that, and not for instance post things like “Hey, you forgot I also covered band X and you only mentioned band Y!” or “You forgot my feature on the evolution of punk rock!” or most particularly any smaller entries, especially when they're mostly a video with a few lines. I may occasionally miss something, but this is not meant to be a detailed synopsis of your journal. If it was, there would be little need for anyone to actually check it out.

So quickly then, for those who have joined recently and those who are new to this update thread, some basic rules:

1. If you don't update during the week you will not be featured, unless in some other capacity I decide, such as “Classic journals” or “Great journals we miss” etc.
2. Only updates by YOU, as the author, will be noted. Other people commenting in your journal are not reported.
3. Although not a hard and fast rule, generally an entry needs to be at least a few lines of text. If you just say “Here's a video for a song I heard” and post the YouTube, there's a good chance that I will not consider that for the update.
4. As mentioned above, some omissions may occur. Please accept this. If, however, you do update and your entire journal is missed out, let me know: I'm only human, as are all my clones.
5. If you misspell or use bad grammar in an extract I post, this will appear as is. I am not going to spellcheck your entries, that's up to you.
6. Any posts featured will be stripped of YouTubes if they exist, however pictures and other text effects will be left in. Occasionally, an extract might be too long and so I will truncate it if necessary.
7. The update covers all entries posted before 6pm on Sunday, Irish time. If you post after that, your entry will appear in the next update. If, for some reason, it is important to you that you be featured in the current update but have missed the deadline, PM me before 10pm Sunday, as once the post is done I cannot change it even if I want to.

And now, on with the show!


This is a new section I'm trying out, where any major news about journals will first be broken, whether the author has already done so in their journal or it's been announced or hinted at previously. The details will of course then be discussed in the entry on that person's journal/those persons' journals, but here is where you will read it first, in this thread anyway. Unlike the other entries, these will not be alphabetically organised.

The first big news this month is of course the opening of the doors of "The Devil's Dancefloor" (title @ copyright Trollheart Enterprises, MMXIV), Justin's year-long exploration of the wonderful world of Heavy Metal. He's devoting each month to a specific sub-genre, so there should be something there for everyone who's even slightly into metal. This month he kicks off with Traditional Metal, including a complete discography of the band I consider to be one of, if not the best metal bands, Iron Maiden. Briks will also be getting involved apparently, and so will I. At the moment my involvement is writing reviews of the live Maiden albums.

The next news story concerns Ki, who as we all know is one of the workhorses here. Those who didn't catch previous updates, or read his journal, may not know that he is taking a break from both his journals and the forum, but hopes to be back, rested and raring to go, in a while, when hopefully he'll continue his discography of Devin Townsend. We wish him all the best and are counting the days.

Finally, not content with already eight journals, I've pushed it into double figures by opening two new ones, details of which you'll find below. If anyone ever finds my brain, please return it to me. There is no reward I repeat, no reward. Thank you. Oh yeah, there are also three new journals (other than mine) starting this week.

Kicking the year off alphabetically we welcome back Anteater, who launches the 2015 leg of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ravaganza.html with a look at Fleetwood Mac sans Nicks and Buckingham!

The first of those new journals comes from Blackdragon123, whom dedicated and regular readers will recall did a sterling job last year with his “26 best Black Sabbath songs” journal, but then sadly realised that was completely limited, and had nowhere to go. Well, he's back now with http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ackdragon.html, which is far more broad and allows for a wider scope. He's kicking off with his thoughts on two Black Sabbath album covers, one of which was featured in the main Metal subforum but has been moved to its new home, and is really worth reading.

B then is also for Briks (no Batty: putting a comic panel in without any wording does not qualify as an entry, at least not in my book! Try harder...) as he joins Justin's metal quest in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html, looking at Iron Maiden's debut and giving us his thoughts on it.

Spoiler for spoiler:

Spoiler: they're all good.

Also looking at another debut by an even more influential and important band, Sabbath's first outing.

A second new entry comes from Deadchannel, who looks very much like failing to live up to his name (!) and may in fact end up challenging Oriphiel for that Workhorse award! In his new journal http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sentation.html he's looking at movies, and already we've had a spaghetti western, a Hitchcock classic, and more! Looks like this one could be very interesting indeed.

And the third newbie in Journaltown is http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ten-music.html where he intends to sift through his music collection and listen to albums he has not heard before, or does not know what they are. Gems or crap? Only he can tell you! There's music from Fosa Común and Shut up. No, I'm not being rude: that's the name of the band!

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...year-year.html is getting going in earnest now as he looks into Bob Dylan's “Bringing it all back home”.

We were speaking of the J-man earlier, well he's opening the doors, as mentioned above, to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ancefloor.html, with a whole month devoted to “Traditional Metal”, much of which will encompass the discography of Iron Maiden, and he starts this off, as anyone should, with a look at the debut album and then on to “Killers”. Also my own small contribution with a review of “Death on the road”, other live albums to follow. And then he looks at Sabbath's seminal debut album. Looks like it could be a good month!

Machine promised to begin a review of the discography of The Flaming Lips (looks like 2015 will be the year of the discography review!) and here he is, in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...l-madness.html beginning with “Hear it is”. Also back in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-song-day.html with more from Tyler, you know, the Creator guy. Swans and Primus, too.

Neapolitan returns for another perfectly-timed blast across the bows in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-journal.html, as he examines The Moody Blues' “Days of future passed”

Oriphiel is already working hard to retain his award, and http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ck-garage.html as he is, he's writing more of his western, looking into rockabilly, post-punk and even trying out some random albums he picked up second hand. Sweet. Oh, and the Singles Mixer, whatever that may be. I can't keep up! Youre gonna have to go down there, man! Just check it out, you'll see I'm right. He's even venturing into the land of Metal now, with a feature on Stray! Followed by Nikki and the Corvettes and then Boys vs Girls with Thee Headcoats vs Thee Headcoatees (?)

Mind you, Pet_Sounds has been doing some work of his own, in between feeling sick and taking over from Ki on tabulating the votes for the Music Banter Nominations this year. He's going to be checking out Billy Joel's discography as well as telling us about his favourite fifty Beatles songs. It's all happening down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html! “Money” is the first one up by the way.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...listening.html tells us that our favourite guitar god is checking out some classical guitar music by Giuseppe Torrisi.

Not content with eight journals already, and trying to book my place at Happyvale Rest Home for the Terminally Bewildered, I've started two more, of which news anon. Down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html though, there's another glimpse into my fascinating (yes it is) childhood, a review of Nothing More's latest album called, um, “Nothing more”, a look at a John Denver song which makes me gasp “Say What?” and the return, in the first entry of 2015, of “Nice song --- shame about the album!” with a look at Alan Parsons's “The time machine.” Lots happening on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html with the final Scroogedown of 2014 (though it'll continue into this month at least), opening 2015 with Babylon 5 and a review of “Unforgiven”. Strontium Dog is back in his second adventure in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-2000-ad.html as he and Wulf take on the space pirate Papa Por-ka, with the aid of an unexpected new ally.

Those new journals of which I spoke? Well one was pre-announced in December, and now as January gets going you'll find http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-you-die.html, with the first three albums already done, while one I had kept quiet about (mostly because I only thought of it a few days ago) is http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ive-metal.html, which is due to get underway properly next week. How do I manage to keep all these plates spinning? Well, it helps to have an army of clones...

Unknown Soldier begins yet another new section in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html as he looks at albums “Down on the slab”. No, I'm not going to tell you what it's about: you know the way there by now! The first to feature though is Sabbath's abortion-worthy “Born again”... then he's looking into some NWOBHM compilations ... that one always reminds me of bondage! Two albums that don't make the list for 1983 then are featured, um, before he gets to 1983, and the first comes from Satan, with “Court in the act”. I doubt the second will be posted before the deadline.... no, it wasn't.

Exciter are the theme in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html

and Zero is talking about The Drums, Hypomanie, Surfer Blood and, er, Amusement Parks on Fire in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ollection.html


I'm bringing this to a close now, as I'm working on The Year in Review, where everyone's journal will get a good dusting off, and I think I've caught up with those of most people anyway.

[Oriphiel]

Thanks for another update, Trollheart! Everyone here really appreciates you taking the time to get us all caught up. Love the question mark after Thee Headcoatees, by the way!

[Unknown Soldier]

I don't even remember writing reviews for Thor, Sorcery and Molly Hatchet, seems like an age ago now.

[Trollheart]

It's getting bloody chilly here: snow forecast for tomorrow and I have to take my cat to the vet. Ah, Mondays! How I love you!

What's been happening down Journaltown way, you ask? Well, I did just originally pop in here to tell you about my cat, but as you ask...


And the big story in Journaltown this week is that some serious health and safety issues have forced the closure of "The Devil's Dancefloor", most of those issues related I think to Justin's sanity! I've taken on some big projects in my time but this one sounded like something even I wouldn't undertake, and he's decided, probably rightly, to pull out now before it gets too heavy. Read all about it below. And don't give him a hard time: he really tried.

There are new journals starting this week from Deadchannel and Oriphiel --- think they'd be busy enough with their first journals but no. I'd never do that. Um.

More details below.

We also have the return of Wpnfire and WhateverDude, both missed, and Moss comes back to us also, so there are some tearful (yeah) reunions this week. I'm getting all choked up here. Let's get on with the update. Go to commercial! Go to commercial!


http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html and see him speak of the evolution of Deadpool, with his Issue of the Week starting up too. Yeah, it's Deadpool ... Isn't he just a ripoff of Spiderman?

Showing us that his new journal isn't going to just be devoted to explanations and essays on album sleeves, blackdragon123 shows us that http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ackdragon.html you can also find a list of his favourite tracks by Supertramp. Nice one! Then he returns to album covers, this time comparing Ozzy to Lennon?

Down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...seur-cave.html there are unnerving sounds as the Hellion sweeps overhead! Yes, Briks is reviewing “Screaming for vengeance” by Judas Priest, also some more haiku reviews coming your way. He's not too impressed with “London calling” though. Neither was I.

Chula's back! And he's brought Yes with him. “Close to the edge” is the latest album to feature in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rly-years.html

In http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sentation.html, Deadchannel presents a review of “True romance”, while in his other journal, started only this week, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ear-music.html, there's music from Sleep and Zach Hill.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...63-2013-a.html reaches 1999, with albums from SPAZZ, Polaris and Blur among his list.

Following on from our big news story this week, as you've all read by now http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ancefloor.html has closed, or rather, been streamlined and changed. Like Bewley's here (Irish interest only) it's changing its focus and many people will lose their job --- no, wait: nobody will, not even Justin, who's going to use it to continue to post metal reviews, just not on a daily basis as he had intended. I did warn him he needed to be certain he was able to take on such a massive undertaking,. He's pressing ahead with the Iron Maiden reviews though, with what might seem a bt of a rush as he ploughs through “Piece of mind”, “Seventh son of a seventh son”, “No prayer for the dying” and “Fear of the dark”, bringing the First Age of Dickinson to a close. Oh, and there's another live review from me.

A welcome return for LadyisLingering, in the absence of her husband woops boyfriend (!) and she's plundering her http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ic-memory.html for The Alan Parsons Project, The Cars and Lynsey de Paul.

Machine tells us that Mac DeMarco, Tantifaxath, The Microphones and Sleep (now where did I hear that before?) are some of http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-song-day.html, while there's another Flaming Lips review in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...l-madness.html, this time it's “Oh my gawd! It's The Flaming Lips!”

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...a-yas-out.html and talks about Guided By Voices in Boulder, Colorado.

Back to being http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ck-garage.html, Oriphiel is kicking 2015 off the way he ended 2014, with a host of entries including the Rezillos, Les Hell on Heels and Sir Psycho. Also a compilation called “Back from the grave”. And as if all that work wasn't enough, he's starting, as I mentioned, a new journal, http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...rgy-story.html, devoted to ... disco! He's also writing a story about it, first three chapters up now.

Another of Pet_Sounds' favourite Beatles tracks is “Hey bulldog”, and you'll find it on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...crap-heap.html this week.

Do Sidewinder and Goofle swap notes, I wonder? They seem to post very soon after each other. Anyway, it's 1999 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ar-1965-a.html too, and he's looking at offerings from Pinback, Mr. Bungle and Beck, among others.

My new journals are doing quite well, thank you, with http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-you-die.html taking a look at MIA and Kings of Leon, The Killers, The Zutons, Rufus Wainwright and The Streets, while http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ive-metal.html begins properly, with a look at the barest beginnings of prog rock and a review of The Beach Boys' “Pet Sounds” and then The Mothers of Invention's “Freak out!” My main journals are not slacking either though and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html you'll find a review of Supertamp's debut album, while a little out of season now, the Scrooge Showdown continues in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html. I've even kicked http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html back into life this week, with reviews of albums by The Donkeys and Lights and Motion. More to come next week as I try to get this long-neglected journal back on track.

More NWOBHM compilations in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html as Unknown Soldier looks into “Metal Massacre”. All four volumes. Also Batlord's favourite musical wanking material, Warlord's “Deliver us”.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-radness.html is back to turn us on to Angel Olsen, while

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-journal.html has a review of the video computer game “Dead Space”.

This week's pick for

comes from my good friend Briks, who has about the same reaction to this classic album as I did...

Originally Posted by Briks

Why do people hail this as the "greatest punk rock album of all time"? Jeez, I was pretty unimpressed. Sure, some of the tracks are good, great even, like "London Calling", "Brand New Cadillac", and "Lost in the Supermarket", but one of those is a cover, and the rest? Well, mostly okay, but nothing special, and even boring at times. Overrated.

3/5

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-oblivion.html and see him speak of the evolution of Deadpool, with his Issue of the Week starting up too. Yeah, it's Deadpool ... Isn't he just a ripoff of Spiderman?

First of all, suck it, dingleturd. Secondly, he was created by Rob Liefeld, who doesn't have an original bone in his body. Deadpool is a ripoff of not just Spider-Man (costume and quips), but Deathstroke as well (sword-wielding mercenary, Wade Wilson vs. Slade Wilson, you do the Deathstroke in the Deadpool). But that's beside the point, since he's been taken far outside of his original, unoriginal confines as a character by far better writers since Liefeld's thankful departure. Now quit being such a bitch and read his current series. It's fantastic.

[Goofle]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

comes from my good friend Briks, who has about the same reaction to this classic album as I did...

I didn't see that review till now. And whilst I kind of agree that it's "overrated" (in some circles at least) I think it has more than three good tracks. Train in Vain is wonderful.